their technology has hardly changed in all that time. but because this is a living culture, it is possible to see firsthand the development of institutions like those that emerged in ostia 2,000 years ago. each morning, fresh skins are brought to this market to be sold to the city's tanners. once a deal is made between buyer and seller, the transaction is recorded by market officials. the system reduces misunderstandings, but mainly it creates records for tax purposes. when an economy becomes this complex, it opens up more opportunities for the state to collect a percentage for itself. such complexity also increases the need t is the job of haaj abdelaziz sakkout. interpreter: if the brokers have a problem, they come to us. we all solve the problem. even if we fight first, we solve the problem. keach: mr. sakkout is employed by market officials. he occasionally serves as auctioneer if asked, but in the main, his job is to settle disputes. everyone in the fez tanning industry is dependent upon others. the man who dries the finished skins